Porto City to Airport: Taking the 3M Night Bus in 2026

Getting to Porto Airport from the City Center

Bus Stops, Schedules, and Fares

When you need to get from Porto's bustling city center to the airport, you've got a few options:

taxi, metro, or bus.

For my early morning flight, there was a bus stop conveniently located near my hotel, so I opted for the bus without much hesitation.

However, unlike other major cities where you might find dedicated 'airport buses,' this was just a regular city bus. A bit inconvenient, to be honest.

Porto is famously a city of hills, and dragging heavy luggage around isn't exactly a vacation highlight.

I was heading to the airport so early that the metro wasn't even running yet. While the bus stop was close for me, if your accommodation isn't within easy walking distance of a stop, I'd honestly recommend just grabbing a taxi.

Anyway, let me dive into my experience taking the 3M night bus to the airport during the wee hours!

1. Finding Your Bus Stop for Porto Airport

Since I was staying right in the heart of Porto, I looked for the most convenient bus stop nearby.

The easiest one to find was right in front of Porto City Hall.

*Porto City Hall on a clear day

Knowing I'd be heading out in the dark before dawn, I was a little nervous, so I made sure to scout out the stop during the daytime.

As you can see in the photo above, the bus stop was positioned slightly to the side of the City Hall building.

The same bus also stops at the next stop downhill, but I waited and boarded here.

▼3M Bus Stop Location▼

Av.aliados · 4000-010 Porto, Portugal

I made sure to confirm the '3M' sign at the stop and even snapped a photo.

Buses typically arrive at the stop on the hour and half-hour, but between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM, they only run on the hour.

▼3M Bus Timetable▼

Lines - STCP

On this particular morning, I was catching an Air Europa flight from Porto to Madrid, scheduled for 7:30 AM. My goal was to be at the airport by around 5:30 AM.

Since the 3M bus takes approximately 30 minutes from the city center to the airport, I aimed for the 5:00 AM bus.

As you can see from the photo, the streets are typical European cobblestones – bumpy and often uphill. It was definitely a workout dragging my suitcase!

Despite the incredibly early hour, there were quite a few people waiting at the stop, possibly commuters, which made me feel a bit less uneasy.

2. My Ride on the Porto 3M Night Bus

My husband and I had walked everywhere during our entire stay in Porto, so we hadn't bothered with a public transport card. We paid the 2.5 Euros cash fare directly to the driver.

The photo inside the bus is a bit blurry from the movement, but you can see there's a designated luggage area near the front.

However, it's raised pretty high, making it impractical for heavy checked bags. You might manage a carry-on suitcase there, but for anything larger, we just sat in the widest available space and held onto our luggage tightly.

Honestly, perhaps because it was such an early hour, the bus wasn't very clean. There were even people who seemed to be heading home after a night out (still quite tipsy!).

To add to the adventure, our bus driver seemed to be channeling a race car driver, speeding through those narrow streets. It was a bit unsettling and uncomfortable, to say the least!

Phew! After about 30 minutes, we finally arrived at the airport. My husband and I both agreed as we got off that we couldn't wait to get out of there! Haha.

3. What's the Best Way to Get to Porto Airport from the City?

If you're traveling during the day, unlike my late-night journey, you'd take a different bus line (not the 3M). For the metro, you can catch the E line directly to the airport from Bolhão station in the city center.

However, whether you're considering the bus or metro, if the station or stop is any significant distance from your accommodation, I still highly recommend taking a taxi.

That cobblestone and hill combo is truly exhausting, especially when your checked luggage often weighs over 40 pounds (20 kg)!

*The compact Porto Airport

When I first arrived in Porto, I took a taxi from the bus terminal into the city center, and the cost wasn't prohibitively expensive.

While there might be a small extra charge for luggage, a taxi ride is often the better option overall for convenience.

Anyway, Porto Airport itself is smaller than I expected. While some shops weren't open due to the early hour, it didn't seem like there would be much to see or do even if they were. Arriving too early might leave you with a lot of downtime!​

Wishing you all a fantastic trip to Porto!